


you better know

by happyendingexo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: #HEA_2017, Alternative Universe - Dancer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 17:31:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13745859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyendingexo/pseuds/happyendingexo
Summary: Jongin is a rookie dancer and about to hold his first performance overseas, but he has two problems. He is incredibly scared of flying, and his best friend and manager Junmyeon might be too much for him to handle.





	you better know

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #151**
> 
> **Disclaimer:** The is a work of fiction. The names and images of the celebrities mentioned are borrowed and is not meant to represent the celebrities themselves. All original characters and plot belong to the author and is not to be reproduced and/or shared without written permission from the author. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Author's Note:** I swear to god, this is the hardest thing I've ever written, mostly because my computer died in the process of writing. This isn't the best I could've done, but this is the first time I've wrote something positive, and I'm a little bit proud. Special thanks to my best friend for motivating me TT

Ethereal. Passionate. Close to perfect, almost artificial, yet smooth and outstanding. All those words described Jongin pretty well. _Kim Jongin_ , a rising star in the dancing industry, always focused on stage with his passionate movements and versatile styles, leaving seniors shocked because of his immense talent and love for dancing. Competitors respected him, despite being one of the youngest in the industry, without much knowledge. However, not everything was magic and rainbows, which he quickly found out – being on stage means no mistakes were allowed, especially not live. Letting down his fans was the last thing he wanted, but sometimes, the sheer pressure stressed him out so much to the point where all he wanted was to lie in his bed all day without leaving his house. That's where his manager and longtime friend comes in – Kim Junmyeon, a straightforward and honest male with an affinity to stupid jokes and puns, which couldn't get any more ridiculous.

 

Today was one of these days where he couldn't concentrate, not during practice, not during break and not at home – during those unmotivated hours, Junmyeon would assist his friend and co-worker by spending time with him, mostly lazily laying around and talking, just like the old days in high school and college. Nothing much has changed between them, despite the hectic schedules –  they're still extremely good friends, occasionally going out for a drink or sitting in a café for hours, discussing upcoming events and practices

 

Jongin didn't just enjoy his company, no, he _loved_ it. He loved his corny, although annoying jokes, he loved his stupid mother complex, worrying about Jongin's health way too often, he also loved his over-protective nature and how he felt like _home_ whenever Junmyeon was with him. To be exact, Jongin loved Junmyeon in general and every moment they could spent together, always being able to rely on his best friend no matter what time or day it was. To this day, Jongin kept his feelings a secret, even if it hurt him a lot seeing his best friend every day without him knowing what the younger felt, pretending like those feelings didn't exist. Despite thinking about this “issue” a lot, he still wasn't exactly sure _what_ he felt – it was weird.

  
And even now, he couldn't focus on anything. The next day wasn't making things better, despite the big opportunity. Jongin never left Korea, not a single time. Jongin also couldn't speak a single word English or any other language besides Korean for that matter. Not being able to communicate made him anxious, even more than his stage fright – yes, the great dancer _Kim Jongin_ had stage fright. The only solution to forget his audience was to wear a blindfold, his trade mark basically. Not a single time did he perform without his blindfold, and as much as he loved his fans, he just couldn't move  a single muscle without it. And now, he was about to fly for the first time as well, which didn't make him very happy either, not at all. To be completely honest, Jongin was really afraid of heights to begin with and now he had to endure a lenghty flight to America? _Oh well._

 

“Jongin, are you still listening to me?“ Carrying a box with Jongin's main equipment, Junmyeon snapped the younger male out of his daydream. Not even twelve hours until the flight and his manager already packed his case and prepared his papers, meanwhile Jongin just wasted the whole day re-watching his favorite shows and eating snacks without bothering to pack anything. “Lazying around won't fold your clothes. Now get up!“

 

The dancer pouted, hiding his face under a thin blanket like he'd always do when he was flustered or plain lazy. Junmyeon only sighed at this, leaving the room after handing the younger male his equipment. His manager had the maturity he _wished_ to have, but it was certainly helpful with his childish laziness.

 

“Junmyeon, where is my case?“ Jongin yelled out while laying his box aside, yawning as soon as he got up from his bed. To be honest, if it wasn't for Junmyeon, Jongin would've packed his bags last minute and probably missed his flight. “I am not your maid, look for it yourself!“

Small bickering like this amused Jongin and made him smile throughout his hectic schedule. A blessing, you could say.

 

Not even a minute later, and Jongin was filled with energy, ready to do his last chores before taking his flight. Junmyeon had this motivating charisma, was it his glare that kicked Jongin's butt, or his whiny begging every time he was done with the dancer's behavior. Packing his little case wasn't the only thing he had to do, no, he still had to practice certain steps he messed up sometimes. He didn't worry about getting sleep before the flight, after all, he would hopefully shut down once he got on the plane (like he did on car or train rides), falling into a deep sleep and  missing out on the mediocre food everyone always complained about. Thing is, Jongin wasn't sure if he would even fall asleep – flying made him a little anxious for some reason.

 

Jongin's room was _messy_ , clothing scattered everywhere, empty bottles of water without caps filled his bedside cabinet (full bottles inside the drawers as well) and colorful sticky notes decorated his furniture, reminding him to eat properly, to practice as soon as possible and little things like buying groceries and when he could take a day off. Sometimes, Junmyeon had to buy takeout for Jongin or else he'd outright forget to eat because he'd either practice too much or would be too lazy cook after a long day.  At this point, Junmyeon memorized all the foods he disliked and loved – he really felt like a mother at times.

 

“Give me 15 minutes, I'll be done soon.“ –  “I sure hope so, we still need to discuss the schedule for our trip.“ His manager sighed, hopelessly staring at the documents he had to prepare for tomorrow. Sometimes, Junmyeon wondered why he decided to be his best friends' manager – his old job as a secretary in a huge firm, which he easily got because of his father, was less exhausting than this. Yet, the money and the preference to work with familiar people convinced him to quit his old job and to become Jongin's manager, much to his father's displeasure. It was a long story on how Junmyeon got this new job, in fact, they've been working for a quite a while now and he barely thought about that anymore.

 

Jongin hummed songs as he picked out his favorite shirts and pants, lazily cramming together his clothing and a few snacks. A smile decorated his face, excited for his upcoming performance he was looking forward for weeks now. The audience was bigger than usual, which made him slightly nervous, but this big opportunity was something he couldn't afford to miss.

 

Meanwhile, Junmyeon prepared their last stack of papers, quietly reminding the dancer that he shouldn't forget his tooth brush or other important items, just to be sure he wouldn't end up lending Jongin his cosmetic bag again. Jongin replied with an awkward grin, immediately heading off to the bathroom, making his manager sigh in response.

 

It took both males a while to finish up, including showering and figuring out how to sleep, and eventually, both of them crashed on a huge mattress in front of the TV. Jongin yawned, ready to fall asleep –  he was tired, and couldn't afford to be exhausted during his performance, especially now, being able to perform overseas was a special opportunity after all.

 

“Are you excited?” Junmyeon mumbled, fixing his pillow before laying down again. He hid his smile by turning away from his friend, quietly waiting for him to answer. On the other side of the bed, Jongin was clinging onto his blanket, close to snooze off before Junmyeon shook him out of his daze again.

 

“Mhm.” He muttered,  feeling awfully good that night. He was excited for sure, maybe nervous, and also a little anxious, but good feelings predominated – it almost felt like he was optimistic, which wasn't very common for him especially about his performances. Junmyeon knew a lot about his insecurities, and perhaps that was the reason he looked back at Jongin, reaching out for his tired hands. It was no surprise that Jongin's face flushed red immediately (not that Junmyeon noticed it in though, he was oblivious to such things after all).

 

“It's alright, just go to sleep lil' dancer.” With an even brighter smile, he started to doze off while still facing the somewhat confused Jongin. Needless to say, falling asleep wasn't as easy as it should've been, but his friends' smile comforted him enough to get at least a few hours of rest.

 

 

Loud music blasted through the house, sunbeams so bright it felt like someone stabbed his eyes and a cold room didn't make for a good morning, and yet, Junmyeon found himself changing his clothes just a few minutes after waking up. Staying in bed wasn't his cup of tea after all, and quickly, Junmyeon left Jongin's living room in his beloved sweatpants, a white shirt and a cap he wore way too often. He yawned, promptly looking for the kitchen, before finding the source of the loud music – Jongin's studio.

 

And there he was, dancing with his blindfold like nothing else mattered – what a beautiful sight indeed. Junmyeon couldn't help but stare at the younger male as he continued to practice, not noticing his manager due to the loud music and his covered eyes. He stepped and swiveled across the room like it was nothing, you could basically see his pride in his expression. Jongin never seemed to be confident enough, but feeling the pride and hard work Jongin has put into his skills all these years made Junmyeon smile like a proud mother.

 

After a short while, Jongin stopped, seemingly tired with his practice (Junmyeon had no idea for how long he's been in this stuffy room already) and turned off the music. To his surprise, he took a while to notice his manager sitting at the edge of the room, and squealed somewhat loudly as he took off his blindfold.

 

“Junmyeon!” He yelled out, his face flushing red from the embarrassment he received, and even more when he noticed his friend chuckling like crazy. Jongin covered his face, throwing away his old blindfold he always used for practice. He wouldn't even dare to use his expensive blindfold and get it sweaty, it was too precious for him. “Why are you here, I thought I locked the door..?”

 

“No, you didn't.” Junmyeon pointed at the now wide open door, a grin decorating his slightly messy face. Now, he didn't really want to bother Jongin's 'morning rituals', so he tried to excuse himself, only getting a clingy (and still embarrassed) Jongin following him into the kitchen. His face was soaked, beads of sweat rolling down his bronze skin. It felt hard not gawking at his body right now.

 

Jongin brewed their coffee, while Junmyeon was busy trying not to stare like an idiot, hiding his now blushing face behind a newspaper. “So,” the dancer mumbled, searching through multiple drawers, looking for two cups. His excuse for not finding _anything_ would be the same all the time – 'I'm barely in this room, so why bother?'

 

“Is everything wrapped up and finished? We should leave soon.. right after I take a shower.” Jongin glanced at his phone, sighing in relief. Knowing still had enough time to shower peacefully made him feel more relaxed.

 

“Aren't you a hardworking boy – drink up before I'll join you, I still need to wash my face and stuff.” Junmyeon didn't notice Jongin's anxious tone for the rest of their small 'breakfast'.

 

 

“Jongin?” The dancer snapped out of his thoughts, facing his manager who drove them to the airport. He was rather quiet, but being this silent didn't feel like Jongin – Junmyeon was worried for sure, but he couldn't take his eyes off the road. Despite almost arriving, Junmyeon couldn't help but take multiple glances at Jongin during their small trip. “Is everything alright?”

 

In the corner of his eye, Junmyeon could spot an awkward, forced smile on his friends' face. If he only knew why he felt so uneasy, he could help him a lot more, but knowing Jongin, it'd take a while for him to spill his problem. “We're almost here.”

 

“Y'know, I've never even been to an airport before.” Jongin stated, searching for his case in the back of his managers' car. To his surprise, the trunk was messier than he remembered it to be – _“I don't have time to clean this up”_ – but he found his belongings rather quickly, and helped Junmyeon with his bag as well.

“Well, you should stay closely by my side then – you can get lost pretty easily.” Junmyeon winked playfully, leaving a flustered and swearing Jongin behind. Sometimes, Jongin wondered if Junmyeon's jokes and innuendos had some truth behind them, and just maybe, he wondered if he returned his feelings. It was hard to focus on anything, his anxiety, flying in general and his confused  feelings about didn't help either.

 

Shortly after, Junmyeon prepared their tickets and both got through quickly – Jongin was surprised at how many fans of his were waiting at the airport, but he carefully watched them while slowly making his way through the huge building. Jongin rarely saw his fans – only at fan meets – so it was always a special feeling for him when he actually got to meet them. He got tons of letters and even a few, little presents like plushies. It calmed him a bit down, made him happy as well, but mostly distracted him from his fear of heights – and flying, to be fair. “Look at our popular celebrity, and you didn't believe me when I said you had a lot of fans.”

 

Jongin sighed, now being visibly anxious right before boarding. Being scared isn't very Jongin's personality either, that's why Junmyeon didn't expect him to be scared after all, but he sat there, shaking like a little child about to get his ass kicked – or something like that. Junmyeon took a while, but he realized how shaken up Jongin was and caressed his younger friend carefully.

 

 

 

“Junnie?” Junmyeon didn't hear that nickname in a while. “Yes?”

 

“I am scared... a bit at least.” Jongin tried to smile away his anxiety. “Actually, there are a few things I am afraid of today.” Junmyeon was visibly confused at his second statement, but continued to calm down the latter like he'd always do. “What are you afraid of?”

 

“I've never been on a plane, you know? I don't really like heights to begin with. I know it sounds stupid, but many things are bothering me right now. Our flight is just more than I can handle right now.” Jongin look down on his knees. He felt ashamed, showing himself like that to his closest friend felt so... weird. Lately, Jongin was thinking about their relationship more than usual and now, all of his thoughts came up, making him feel very stressed out and miserable. "I... want to go home."

 

"Flying isn't all too bad, don't worry about it. I'm by your side for the whole flight, so there's nothing to be afraid of." Junmyeon calmed the dancer down like no one else, his sentences felt almost magical to Jongin. It's not like his fear was gone instantly, but he did feel better about it -- just not about everything else.

Before Jongin could speak up about his actual concerns, a loud announcement echoed through the hallways. It was time for them to board already and Jongin felt like staying here more than leaving. His excitement for his performance was replaced by fear and worries. "Let's go, we don't want to be left behind, do we?"

 

Even now, Junmyeon's efforts to make him smile worked. Damn it.

 

 

 

On board, Jongin didn't exactly feel better. Luckily, not many people were there, the luxury of being a celebrity, Junmyeon joked again. The only people who boarded were a few idols and a fellow dancer who would perform on the same event as Jongin. He faintly remembered their names, one of them was called Sehun for sure. They knew each other from training back then – Sehun just debuted a while ago, but they didn't keep in contact after a while. Both exchanged a quick greeting before taking their seats.

"Maybe you'll feel less anxious if you sleep?" Junmyeon smiled at the younger, who dreamily stared out of the tiny window. It was still early in the morning, the sun barely shining – it felt ethereal being outside this early, which was something Jongin didn't experience very often.

"Can you... hold my hand?" Jongin muttered, avoiding any eye contact with the elder male. Awkward wouldn't even describe how uneasy he felt asking that, but he tried to be brave for once. Maybe, just maybe, it'll pay out in the end.

"If it helps you, then sure." Or, he'd be heartbroken later on if he found out he liked him – as a friend. Jongin hoped he wasn't being polite, but rather hesitant about his feelings as well.

After a while, the plane took off, while Jongin gripped Junmyeon's hand tighter and tighter, much to Junmyeon's concern. "Shh, it's okay."

Jongin didn't panic but felt uneasy for most of the day – they flew over twelve hours after all. There were times where Jongin would wake up sweaty, and yet, he'd still hold Junmyeon's hand. Multiple times, Jongin felt like throwing up, mumbling pessimistic sentences over and over again, only for Junmyeon to caress him every single time. He could swear he heard him babbling when he fell asleep after a while.

The flight went by peacefully, if you ignore Jongin's complaining. Both got a few hours of sleep, Jongin got Sehun's number and they prepared a schedule for their upcoming week in the US. Unfortunately, Jongin had to rely on his manager's English to get through the country, as the dancer himself couldn't speak a word of the language. Well, he could greet people and say 'I Love You', but that would be the end of his knowledge.

The announcement shook Jongin awake, yawning as he carefully listened to what the pilot had to say. _Airport name, time, temperature._ Welcome to the US, Jongin muttered, sighing in relief as he overcame a third of his problems. Flying back wouldn't be as bad as his first time, hopefully, but there was still his stupidly beautiful manager, friend, whatever their relationship actually was, who wouldn't get out his head no matter what he tried to do. Jongin felt like going crazy, but then again, would it be worth to go crazy about a little thing like feelings?

To be honest, Jongin never noticed how exact and careful Junmyeon was when he did his job – it amazed him, mainly because he mostly knew his _best friend_ side. How trips could affect his view on Junmyeon was fascinating. He noticed how serious he was when talking to the flight attendees, a side he barely saw. It satisfied him, for some reason, but knowing Junmyeon was very friendly towards him made him feel a bit better about his situation – maybe, there could be slightly good chance that, just maybe, Junmyeon could like him as well. Either that, or Jongin just longed for too much.

"Jongin, we're ready to leave." The dancer snapped out of his thoughts, quickly nodding as he noticed the elder talking to him. Of course, Jongin mumbled, leaving the crowded airport together with his manager. Again, some fans came to see the dancer, however, there were a lot less than back in Korea. Understandable, considering his popularity outside Korea basically didn't exist.

 

Just like the ride to the airport, the car ride to the hotel was very quiet. Jongin was lost in his thoughts once again, while Junmyeon was driving. It wasn't awkward this time, it was more of a comfortable ride this time, which was slightly confusing, however, nothing Jongin would complain about now. Despite this, Jongin couldn't foresee what would happen later – since his first attempt was interrupted, he wanted to ask Junmyeon again. The ride didn't take very long but arriving at their hotel made him feel nervous.

Checking in was quick and easy, Junmyeon's charisma helped him to get through stuff like this a lot faster than usual. The perfect manager for him, Jongin thought multiple times during his career. What would he even do without him?

Their room was huge, it had two beds, a bathroom with a bathtub, a balcony with a table and two chairs and a mini fridge with many bottles of various juices and water, which Junmyeon was very excited about.

"Jongin, is it okay if I take a shower? I feel dirty." Jongin gulped, but finally asked.

"Hey, Junnie? Can I... ask you something?" He talked quieter this time, slightly avoiding eye contact with the elder.

"Sure, what is it?" Junmyeon asked, putting aside his towel and sitting down next to the dancer.

"We're friends, you know?" He started, taking a few breaks as he spoke, while Junmyeon watched him quietly.

"But, Junmyeon, what are we really? Friends don't hold hands all the time, they don't sleep together all the time... Don't get me wrong, I really, really liked it but..." That's when Jongin noticed small tears streaming down his face. "I don't want to sound weird, but I really like you Junmyeon:"

Junmyeon didn't say a word, but rather focused on the younger male's little 'speech'.

  
"It's been stressing me out lately, and since yesterday, I've been feeling even more stressed. Do you even know what you're doing to me?" Jongin continued to talk, not noticing how widely Junmyeon smiled at him and how much he enjoyed listening to his rambling. "I was afraid you could hear my heartbeat last night, that's how excited I was about you. Junmyeon, I l –"

That's when Jongin felt something soft and slightly hot on his lips. It was quick and yet, Jongin enjoyed every second of it, longed for more and leaned forward towards the older male, but immediately shifted back as soon as he realized what just happened. He was speechless, to say the least.

"Excuse my sudden action, you looked a bit desperate there." Junmyeon winked, leaving Jongin stunned. It felt too much like a dream, his longtime crush doing something like this, it was something he wanted, but didn't think he'd get.

"You know, I could've told you on the airplane, but you were hyperventilating enough." Even now, he handled the situation maturely, but included his jokes to make Jongin feel more comfortable. It made his heart flutter.

"You're amazing," Jongin mutters. “now that almost all of my worries are gone, I'll be sure to do my best at the show.” He jokingly said, getting a warm, fuzzy feeling in his stomach as he saw Jumyeon's lovely smile.

“What's left? I mean, what else are you worried about?” Junmyeon asked, leaning towards the younger male.

“We still have to fly back, don't we?” Jongin embarrassingly admitted.

“You little punk, the first flight wasn't all too bad!”

Junmyeon kept arguing with Jongin, and he felt better than ever, not even heaven could keep up with his happiness.


End file.
